Watershed some light

Certif1ed wrote: The T wrote: Suddenly we are giving a review much more importance than it really has...   Hey, MY reviews are IMPORTANT - I'm a SPECIAL COLLABORATOR / HONORARY COLLABORATOR, so that proves it.       agProgger wrote: As for Cert, I think the statistics on his profile speak for themselves, with tech/extreme coming in at an average of 2.30.  As for his comments on here, I won't dignify them with a response, because I can sense arrogance in an instant, and I want no part in such a discussion (when there is arrogance, there is no real discussion).  Such people in my view need a few good slaps to teach them a lesson in humility.     The statistics merely state that the albums I've heard so far have not agreed with me in those genres - nothing else.   You have, ironically, dignified my comments with a response with these words. Thanks - you underline my own opinion of myself that I am, in fact, the best.   That's not arrogance, just fact.     agProgger wrote: I'm new (well, sort of -- I joined a while back, made a few posts and then stopped), so I was wondering what everyone's opinion of my very extensive review was.  Also, I mentioned something earlier that no one responded to, and I was wondering if anyone else noticed it as well: the jarring transitions seem intentional, which conveys the whole feeling of being emotionally bipolar.  It makes the main character seem very insane, and although it threw me off at first, I actually find it now to be a centerpiece attraction of the album.   Heard it all done a hundred times by other bands - when the effect works, it's good.   Here, it sounds lame, and drags the album down quality-wise - to me.   YMMV.

I thought this was sensible enough to respond to.  Anyhow, I think people's expectations of the album -- not from a quality standpoint, but from a thematic standpoint -- damage their view of the album.  This album is actually much more lighthearted and comical than the rest of their work, primary exceptions being Heir Apparent and Porcelain Heart.  Like I said elsewhere, it's very much like Sweeney Todd in style.  If you were looking to be disturbed or overcome with demonic riffs, you should look elsewhere (though I do find some of the growls more disturbing than their previous albums).

In my review, I mentioned that Akerfeldt had stated that up until recently, he didn't think he could care about anyone but himself, but after he had his daughter, he has become much more open.  I think this album very much reflects that, but it still carries on the legacy of Opeth.

I think this album is great! It has such great atmosphere, I got a very distinct felling when listening to it.

 Although when listening to it the first time through i was kind of disappointed because it wasn't as heavy as previous albums, but something just made me want to keep listening to it over and over. And my music player says I've listened to it 30 times...just can't get enough!

Here is what Mikael Akerfeldt thinks of Certif1ed's review of "Watershed", but click on the link only if you don't mind to read some abusive words :

 http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/opeth/402284-watershed-you-disapointed-9.html#post7349944

BTW, Mikeal - I'm married with a daughter...

^Same thing in my book.

Atavachron wrote: KeleCableII wrote: Demonoid wrote: Well from your(certif1ed's) profile- Dream Theater - Images And Words - 3 stars Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane - 3 stars Opeth - Blackwater Park - 2 stars Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime - 2 stars Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory Metropolis Part II - 2 stars All these albums are top-notch....definitely 4 stars in my book. I'm not trying to attack you or something...just that some of your reasoning seems absurd. I mean, how is being influenced by other artists but creating a new sound bad in anyway? Also, even I'd like to know your definition of prog, as very often you mention in these reviews that they are not progressive. In his defense, as someone who doesn't mind prog metal, the only album on that list I would give 4+ stars is Remedy Lane (I haven't gotten into Blackwater Park so I'll withhold judgment there). and as someone who very much likes progmetal, I thought Mindcrime was extremely disappointing, especially after all the good word on it..  and that goes for Symphony X's V and Cynic's Focus as well

Certif1ed wrote: MikeEnRegalia wrote: Lord Melchett: Talking to yourself again eh, Blackadder? Blackadder: Yes - it's the only way I can be sure of intelligent conversation.   Um... thought I was responding to your post. You were ... sorry, it was simply meant to be a funny response to your remark about responses to your posts generally lacking intelligence.   Guess I was thinking aloud a bit as well - nothing new there.   However, I must admit I find the swearing and threats of violence at the link above deeply disturbing - particularly from Mr Akerfeld, who is a high-profile rock musician - and so I have done some more thinking: Just a general thought: We don't really know if that guy is really Mikael Akerfeldt ... do we?   I think that to have provoked such an angry and threatening response, I must have really upset those guys. I don't know if you visit ultimatemetal.com often ... I occasionally go there, and the tone is usually a bit "rough" ... swearing and threats of violence are quite commonplace, at least in threads which deal with individual artists or albums. It's certainly much less "orderly" than the archives.   This is not and has never been my intention - I think off the cuff, and say the first thing that comes into my mind, as that is how I like to work. Since I am not given to swearing or direct insults, but instead, temper everything I say with a twisted sense of humour, I usually feel fairly safe that I will not upset anyone - at least, not to the point at which they feel like threatening me with physical violence.   I know how they feel. I believe you when you say that you don't have the intention of insulting anybody ... but the responses to your posts and reviews suggest that some people will read this message between the lines. I therefore apologise unreservedly to Mr Akerfeld, his band and their fans if they felt in any way insulted by my review - which has provoked a multi-page thread on the forum linked to above.   I didn't check out the previous pages ... but I don't think your review is to blame for all of these pages. I am not doing this under duress - or, indeed, the slightest suggestion from anyone from the band or this site:   Reviewing and debating Prog Rock is fun for me - but hurting people is not.

^ might also be a cultural difference ... scandinavians are usually more direct than english/american people. Us germans too btw.

On that UltimaMetalorum there are people with J. V. Stalin as avatar...

Actually, Watershed started at No 23 on the Billboard, No 1 in Finland, No 7 in Sweden, so some Nickelback fans have surely bought it!

Certif1ed wrote: I'm very flattered that they want to spend their time discussing my review - it clearly had an impact, and I'm delighted that my other reviews also stirred up such emotional responses. Pity none of them were intelligent responses - but there you go.

You are, indeed, the only intelligent being in existence. You're the progressive rock of humanity. I just looked on Wikipedia and under 'Certif1ed' it says: "a mostly British attempt to elevate humanity to new levels of artistic credibility".

I'm worshipping you right now.